Hopeful Beginnings
by jojor99
Summary: Gabrielle sees a handsome man standing all alone at Harry and Ginny's wedding, and decides to talk to him. Set in the same 'universe' as Reuniting


Author's Note:

This is for my great friend **mew-tsubaki** as a thank you for motivating and encouraging me to write. Nearly a year ago when we first started chatting I was very close to not writing any more and it was because of her that I pulled my finger out and kept on writing. This pairing is a M&MWP and is one of her (many) favourites. So - thanks mew!

This is also in the same universe as my story Reuniting – set at the wedding.

* * *

I was standing in the garden of my sister's parents-in-law. The garden was full of people, but I did not know many of them. I had met my brother-in-law's family before and some of their partners, but there were still a lot of people I didn't know. I probably had met them when Fleur was competing in the Triwizard Tournament at Hogwarts, but I was so young then. It was half a lifetime ago.

I wandered through the guests and said hello to the few people I knew. Fleur was busily trying to entice her daughter, Victoire, away from Harry's friend. Fleur had the little boy with blue hair next to her in the hope that Victoire would play with him, but he was trying to get away from both Fleur and Victoire. I then saw the groom, Harry, talking to two of Bill's brothers, and Ginny sneaking up on them. They would be having such a busy day with so many guests to talk to, so I decided not to head in their direction. Instead, I walked the other way.

That's when I saw him. He was standing by himself looking uncertainly at two groups of girls who were gathered on opposite sides of him. He looked a little familiar to me, but I couldn't place him at all. He was tall and broad and looked quite strong. I also found him very attractive. Even though he seemed a bit older than me, I decided to go and talk to him. I had no one else to talk to, after all.

I walked over to him. He didn't notice me until I was right in front of him and then he looked a little startled. I think it was because he had not seen me approach him, not because of my appearance. I'm not like my sister in that way. I can talk to boys and men without them wanting to make outlandish spectacles of themselves.

"Hi," I said.

"Hello," he replied.

"I thought you looked a little lonely over here," I said, trying not to sound like I was trying to proposition him. "I don't know many people here so I'm a little lonely, too."

"And you decided to come and talk to me," he stated with a friendly smile.

"I did," I replied. I held my hand out to him. "I'm Gabrielle."

"Oliver," he returned. "It's lovely to meet you."

"And you."

"I gather from your very slight accent that you're not English," Oliver said.

"You're right, I'm French. I'm just visiting my sister for a week."

"You speak English very well. It's hard to pick where you come from," he said.

"Oh, I want to live over here once I have finished school," I replied. "I have been practising my English for years."

"I guess you go to Beauxbatons, then."

"I do. I have two more years of school left before I can come over, though," I said.

"And what will you do after school?"

"I'm not totally sure, yet. But I know I don't want to be stuck behind a desk. I want to be involved in doing something, whether it's research, testing, or anything else."

"I know what you mean," he said. "I like being out and about. I hate when I'm stuck inside having to listen to someone drone on and on.

"What do you do?"

Oliver laughed and looked at me strangely. "I play Quidditch."

"Oh," I said. I suddenly realised why he looked familiar. He was. I had seen pictures of him in my father's Quidditch magazines, and had heard Bill talk about him. "You're Oliver Wood."

"I am," he replied.

"I'm sorry. I didn't recognise you."

"That's fine," he replied. "It's quite refreshing having a beautiful girl talk to me just for the sake of talking to me, and not because I'm a well-known Quidditch player that they hope to use to gain fame and fortune."

I felt a little shocked. "Does that happen a lot?"

"Lots," he replied. "Well, the propositioning does. I learnt quickly not to encourage them."

"That must make dating quite a problem then," I said. After I said that I wished I hadn't. I didn't want to seem like I was looking for something that he didn't want to give.

"It does," he said. "I actually don't date a lot at all, no matter what the papers and magazines say."

I couldn't think of how to reply to that. No matter what I said, I would reveal how attractive and appealing I found him. He must have noticed my discomfort as he quickly changed the subject.

"So when do you go home?" he asked.

"On Monday," I replied. "My Portkey leaves at two o'clock."

"Have you enjoyed your stay?"

"I have," I replied. "Though, I would have to say that today has been the nicest one so far. Even if I don't know many people here, I've had a great day."

"It's certainly been surprising, that's for sure," Oliver said. "I'm happy for Harry and Ginny, though. They deserve a happy life together."

"It has been very surprising and romantic," I replied.

"I guess you can't wait to get back to France and have a romantic reunion with your boyfriend," he said.

He didn't seem to be fishing for information about my love life. He probably thought I was too young to even consider dating. _Oh well...Merlin, do I want him to ask me out? This is not how I usually behave. Good grief! I need to snap out of it._

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes," I quickly replied. "Sorry. I was just thinking..."

"Ah, you're looking forward to seeing him," he stated.

"Actually, I'm not...I don't...there's no one like that at the moment."

"What are those Beauxbatons boys thinking?" he asked with a laugh.

"Oh, they're thinking like normal hormonal boys. I'd rather have no one than them, thank you," I replied.

"They'll come around. All boys are like that at school."

"Were you?"

"I guess I was. I was so focused on Quidditch that I probably ignored the few girls who were interested."

I laughed. I could almost picture him ignoring flocks of girls as he walked through the school, head filled with Quidditch plays. Away from us I heard some cheers and the sound of music. I looked around to see Harry and Ginny starting to dance...well, sway together. I grabbed Oliver's hand and pulled him over to watch. When we reached the small clearing to watch the bride and groom, Oliver kept hold of my hand in his. I felt extremely comfortable standing there hand-in-hand with him.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked me as other couples drifted out to join the happy couple.

"I'd love to."

He led me to the far side of the clearing, away from a lot of the other guests, and took me in his arms. He wasn't the best of dancers, but he didn't step all over my toes. I felt right at home as we danced and chatted away about family, friends, school, and many other things. I thought that he was definitely attracted to me and after a while he leaned down and softly kissed me. I reached up behind his head to bring his lips back down to mine...and then I was interrupted.

"Gabrielle," Fleur yelled across the garden.

I sighed and turned to face her. She was looking extremely agitated. Victoire was trailing after her crying and yelling. When Fleur reached me she stopped and picked my tired and cranky niece up.

"Do you mind if we leave? 'Harry and Ginny have gone. Victoire needs to sleep. I'm just feeling horrible and Bill is planning on having a night out with his brothers," she said.

All of this was in French and I nodded and replied to her that I would come with her...reluctantly. I turned to a confused looking Oliver. "I have to go and help Fleur with my niece."

He nodded. "That's okay. I understand."

"Thank you for the dances. It has been wonderful meeting you," I replied.

Oliver leaned over and kissed me again. "Perhaps the next time you visit, we can catch up," he whispered in my ear.

I smiled. "That would be wonderful." I stood up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek and walked away with my sister. Just before we left the garden I turned to wave good-bye. As he returned my good-byes, Fleur made a strange sound.

"You were dancing with Oliver Wood!" she exclaimed.


End file.
